#SeriousSandwich Cookalong Bloggers, part 2

Today marks the official start of our Serious Sandwich Cookalong, but these bloggers are all star overachievers. We’ve been chatting daily behind the scenes, and many of them have already begun cooking from Emeril’s Kicked-Up Sandwiches—or at least drooling over it! Introductions to these big-hearted bloggers continues here (other bios were posted last week).

I am Kenneth Johnson and I am a cook, a blogger, a husband and a father. But most of all I am a changed man. Cooking has become my passion and the fuel that drives this life. I have made a lot of changes in my life to get it goal-oriented. I have given up drugs and alcohol and focused on cooking. I have created a blog to showcase some new recipes I try out that I have found on other blogs or foodie sites. On occasion I will post blog entries that will help you be informed about what’s going on in my life as well.

A little bit about me and why I’m so crazy…I’m crazy in the good way for the most part, my husband would probably say. Shoot, maybe he wouldn’t say that at all. I have two blogs, one that talks about my adventures with photography, Crazy Kwistin, and the other that highlights my favorite things, Kwistin’s Favorites. I like to talk about food especially and things that are beautiful, unique, and earth-friendly.

I’m a Philadelphia transplant who grew up in a neighborhood where fresh ingredients and a local market were always a stone’s throw away. Eating dinner together every night was a ritual and even though we didn’t always get along, we came together over meals…. When I moved to the Phoenix area, food became associated with convenience; and markets became big mega-chains with the same staples you could find anywhere. I noticed a disconnect between culture, community, and food in Phoenix. I was the outcast in my community, as I strived to find that one ingredient needed to turn a basic meal into something special. I invite people over and on occasion, stay up past 10 pm. I seek out good food and wine. It’s who I am and how I was raised. My blog, The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine, will show you through my experiences how I’ve managed to create my own culture and find amazing food in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Food Hunter’s Guide To Cuisine is a blog for those of us who live surrounded by the chain stores and restaurants that span the country and want to break free. It’s for those that strive to have food and experiences that are special, local, and unique. It’s for those of us who want to be able to sit at home each night and have a good meal we prepared with fresh, healthy ingredients. Let’s break free together, one post at a time.

My name is David “Dewey” Atkocaitis, I’m a 41-year-old Firefighter/Paramedic and Part time Deputy Fire Chief, and I’m married and the father to three wonderful children, Kennedi (6), Keegan (4), and Peyton (3). I live and work in the northwest suburbs of Chicago near O’Hare Airport. I’ve been cooking since I was a child, and I’ve always loved it. I remember my mom and dad cooking–my mom at home and my dad at the firehouse. My dad would watch Julia Child, Justin Wilson, The Frugal Gourmet, and Yan Can Cook, which just sparked my passion to cook. I know I was destined to be a firefighter and a paramedic, and it’s lucky enough that I get the best of both worlds. I do both…I cook at work and get to be a firefighter. My dream is to one day own a firehouse-style restaurant, to serve firehouse comfort food, and to bring in guest firehouse chefs from all over the country to showcase their talents and dishes. I’ve been lucky to compete on the Regis and Kelly Firehouse Cook-off with My Buffalo Chicken Lasagna, and I appeared in a Studio 88 webisode on the web show Feeding the Fire. I was recently chosen to be part of Sunny Anderson’s new show, Homemade in America, where we made my Buffalo Chicken Lasagna. I started a firehouse food blog called Give Me a 2-11 in the Kitchen, We’re Cooking…..my dreams are to be on Chopped some day and to hopefully become the Guy Fieri of the Fire Service……

I’m Miranda of the blog Mangoes and Chutney. I just passed my 2-year bloggaversary in August and I am still going strong! I was born in the US Virgin Islands and lived there for 5 years before moving to Florida. After graduating from Florida State University, I moved to the lovely state of Georgia, where I met my now husband and proud Southerner (who was quick to remind me that Florida is not considered a Southern State!).

Mangoes and Chutney has just renewed focus and I now create Southern and Caribbean dishes and sometimes a mash-up of the two! Though we currently live in Northern California, I enjoy creating foods from my previous states, and it is a plus that California gives great access to fresh, healthy ingredients! I am currently working on other internet projects and looking to expand my umbrella as an author and an entrepreneur, and look forward to bringing you more!

I am a world traveling, mom of two busy boys, foodie at heart, news junkie, and lover of all things Moroccan (including my Moroccan husband). A project manager by training, I currently use these skills to run my own business as a social media consultant and publisher of my food website, MarocMama, for the last 5 years. As an international family, I’ve found that food transcends all borders and that sharing a meal is the simplest way to make new friends!

Thien-Kim loves to eat and loves to cook. Her food blog My Cup of Creativi-Tea covers cooking, coffee, crafts, and most importantly, her Top Chef obsession (she’s met a few contestants). As a first-generation Vietnamese American who was born and raised in southern Louisiana, much of her cooking is influenced by Asian or Cajun flavors. Say that three times fast! She loves appletinis, mochas, and every single color Sharpie pen she can get her hands on. She also blogs about parenting at I’m Not the Nanny and runs the virtual book club From Left to Write. Maybe that explains why she has a cookbook problem.

Hi, I’m Kimberly, good food aficionado and lover of all things local & sustainable. I’m also the author behind the food blog Rhubarb and Honey, which chronicles my love affair with food. My culinary style is best described as 80% “fresh / local / sustainable” and 20% “nostalgic / somewhat bad for you / everything in moderation,” and that’s what you’ll find at Rhubarb and Honey. In addition to cooking and writing about food, I love crafts, photography, and iced tea. I’m thrilled to be part of Emeril’s #SeriousSandwich Cookalong, and I can’t wait to share my ideas with you!

Sara Croft started Solid Gold Eats one ay when she couldn’t contain herself from sharing with the world her love of all things food. With social media and blogging experience that she’s taken from her full-time job, Sara began Solid Gold Eats so that she could fully express the recipes from her kitchen, restaurant hot spots, and culinary trends that were starting to consume all of her free time. Canning, homemade ice cream, and an infatuation with soups and stews are frequently cited on Solid Gold Eats. Sara happily resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, with her DJ boyfriend and two boxers, Dollar and Brandy, who make occasional appearances in her posts.

Comments

I was, but it seems like it’s going to cater more towards the loud party crowd than a good place to come and chill. Probably a betetr business move, but maybe not good for the people who become regulars . That and I was hoping for a pretty solid beer selection since most newer places are recognizing that people want microbrews or stuff out of the norm, but from what I see on tap there it’s more of the same. Oh well, I’ll still check it out opening night to give it a try.